Thailand to propose 20-25% cut in GHG emissions

BANGKOK, September 24 (TNA) - Thailand will propose a reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 20–25 per cent at the 21st United Nations Climate Change Conference, set to be held in Paris in December 2015. Thai Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan chaired a meeting of concerned government agencies in Bangkok on Thursday to discuss major issues to be raised at the forthcoming world body conference. Permanent Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Kasemsan Jinnawaso told journalists after the meeting that Thailand plans to propose the 20-25 per cent cut of GHG emissions by 2030 at the UN conference late this year. Kasemsan said the proposal will have to be submitted to the UN Secretariat Office on Climate Change before October 1, 2015 and to the Thai Cabinet for an approval by next week. Besides, participants in the meeting discussed a proposal by member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on issuing a joint statement on helping reduce the global warming by a maximum of 2 degrees Celsius at an ASEAN ministerial meeting in Vietnam next month. According to the senior Thai official, the issue will be discussed again at the 27th ASEAN Summit, to be held in Malaysia in November 2015. (TNA)